John McEuen and the String Wizards Will the Circle Be Unbroken

December 28, 2017 @ 7:30 pm - 11:30 pm

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Colorado Music Hall of Fame member McEuen has assembled a unique cast for a special night to share the music and memories of the landmark Will the Circle Be Unbroken platinum album and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s incredible career. His multi-media show with archival photographs, film, Circle session photos (8mm footage from 1967) narrative and music takes us on their incredible 50-year journey – interwoven with hot bluegrass, rare early NGDB music and favorites.

A unique part of the Vilar Center show covers NGDB’s 1977 Russia trip, and what happened behind the Iron Curtain to the first American band to tour there. The cast, all stellar musicians in their own right, includes:

Les Thompson bass, vocals, bouzouki an original NGDB founding member

John Cable guitar/vocals also toured Russia as NGDB member.

Matt Cartsonis vocals/mandola/guitar 25 year music partner with John

When the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band recorded Will the Circle Be Unbroken*, initiated by founding member John McEuen, the icons of Bluegrass, Country, and West coast country rock convened: Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, Merle Travis, Jimmy Martin, Roy Acuff, Vassar Clements, and Maybelle Carter. Six hot August 1971 days produced the benchmark record relevant to this day (Amazon top-20 still!).All join host John McEuen, with his banjo, guitar, fiddle and mandolin, as they share (in front of the screen) hits and stories behind the music, leading up to this magic time when three generations came together. The Library of Congress inducted the multi-platinum ‘Circle’ as one of the most important American recordings’ also in the Grammy Hall of Fame. John was recently inducted in to the American Banjo Museum Hall of Fame.

The evening’s journey leads to classic favorites and music from McEuen’s new highly praised record – Made in Brooklyn – on Chesky Records. (Stereophile Magazine’s Record of the Month). With encores for all, the audience will have seen the entire span of John McEuen’s 50 years in music and been taken back through some of the best years of their lives.

Mr. Bojangles Some of Shelly’s Blues Keep on the Sunny Side Will the Circle Be Unbroken Dance Little Jean Long Hard Road House at Pooh Corner Earl’s Breakdown Wreck on the Hiway Cannonball Rag Dismal Swamp Way Downtown I Saw the Light Acoustic Traveller Fingerbuster

“One of the most important records to come out of Nashville…” Chet Flippo Rolling Stone